Connect with us

Politics

Head of Nigeria’s legislature comes under probe in Seychelles-Report

Authorities in Seychelles have opened a criminal investigation into the multi-million dollar assets which Senate President Bukola Saraki and his wife, Toyin, are believed to hold through offshore shell companies in tax havens, PREMIUM TIMES can report

Published

on

Authorities in Seychelles have opened a criminal investigation into the multi-million dollar assets which Senate President Bukola Saraki and his wife, Toyin, are believed to hold through offshore shell companies in tax havens, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

Bukola and Toyin Saraki are being targeted by financial intelligence operatives for their “suspicious” use of offshore shell companies as uncovered in the Panama Papers investigation published in 2016, according to new records obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and shared with PREMIUM TIMES and other partners.

Investigators at the Seychelles Financial Intelligence Unit said they are interested in determining whether or not Mrs Saraki stood as a front for her husband in the ownership of some of the offshore holdings linked to the family when a trove of offshore assets managed by Panamanian law firm, Mossack Fonseca, was leaked to the media.
The investigators are also working to determine if the transactions undertaken with the shell companies were used to launder funds or carry out other suspicious activities.

Two weeks after the Sarakis were exposed as owning undeclared offshore assets in violation of Nigeria’s code of conduct regulations, detectives from that country’s FIU asked Mossack Fonseca to furnish them with all documents relating to Sandon Developments Ltd, a firm registered in Seychelles under Toyin Saraki’s name.

Mossack Fonseca responded to the request on April 29, 2018, by forwarding a link to the PREMIUM TIMES article on the Panama Papers as well as all documents relating to Sandon Ltd, including international passports and business activities.

The status of the investigation, however remained unclear as there is no record of any update about it since Mossack Fonseca responded to the authorities’ requests at the end of April 2016.

Mrs Saraki registered Sandon Ltd in 2011 and used it to buy a family property at #8 Whittaker Street, Belgravia, London SW1W 8JQ.

Mr Saraki denied links to the offshore assets in 2016, saying they belonged to his wife’s family. But information obtained by PREMIUM TIMES at the time indicated that the Senate President merely used his wife as a front, and Seychelles authorities also found the denial unconvincing.

The revelations were amongst the findings of a lengthy investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung and more than 100 other global news organizations – including PREMIUM TIMES.

Politics

Kenya’s Ruto wants global support for Haiti

Published

on

Kenya’s President William Ruto wants the United Nations Security Council to officially support the mission to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti.

Kenya, an East African powerhouse, is active in Haiti, and recently announced it was ready to be part of a multinational force. It committed to deploy 1,000 police officers to the country and  “accepted to positively consider leading a Multi-National Force to Haiti.”

Ruto, during his address, insisted that the Caribbean country “deserves better from the world.” “Kenya is ready to play its part in full, and join with a coalition of other nations of goodwill – and there are many— as a great friend and true sibling of Haiti,” Ruto said while addressing world leaders.

Haiti begged for assistance last year to fight off vicious gangs that had largely taken over the city of Port-au-Prince.

According to diplomats, the council might vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution endorsing the deployment of international police as early as next week.

U.N. peacekeepers were deployed to Haiti in 2004 after a rebellion led to the ouster and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Peacekeeping troops left in 2017 and were replaced by U.N. police, which left in 2019.

Haiti has been without any elected representatives since January and countries across the world have been cautious about supporting the unelected administration of Prime Minister Ariel Henry who has argued that fair elections cannot be held with the current insecurity.

Violent crimes, including kidnappings for ransom, armed robberies, and carjacking are prevalent in the country.

Continue Reading

Politics

Sudan: One country, two UNGA addresses, as armed factions stake claim

Published

on

The ongoing civil war in Sudan played out on the global scene at the United Nations General Assembly as heads of rival military factions gave competing addresses at the world meeting on Thursday.

Clashes between the army under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan’s transitional government’s Sovereign Council, and army troops loyal to General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the council’s deputy leader who controls the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), have led to the destruction of facilities.

The conflict, which broke out in Khartoum in mid-April and extended to other regions of the country, including the western area of Darfur, displacing more than 5 million people and posing a threat to the region’s stability, was blamed on both sides.

Army chief, al-Burhan urged the international community to label the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist organisation and to take action against its financiers outside of Sudan’s borders while speaking from the stage at UN headquarters in New York.

On the other hand, RSF leader, Dagalo, known as Hemedti, in a rare video recording from an undisclosed location, said that his forces were fully prepared for a ceasefire and comprehensive political talks to end the conflict. Hemedti has primarily communicated recently through audio messages, and his whereabouts have been a subject of conjecture.

“Today we renew our commitment to the peaceful process to put a halt to this war,” Hemedti said. “The RSF are fully prepared for a ceasefire throughout Sudan to allow the passage of humanitarian aid … and to start serious and comprehensive political talks.”

Repeated declarations of a ceasefire by both the army and the RSF, as well as claims that they are looking for a resolution to the war have not been able to halt the carnage and the worsening of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

Continue Reading

EDITOR’S PICK

Sports6 hours ago

Nigerian couple makes history with Paralympic qualifications

Nigerian para-table tennis players, Kayode Alabi and Ifechukwude Ikpeoyi, have made history by becoming the first African couple to qualify...

Metro6 hours ago

Sudan War: Gen. Al-Burhan says he’s ready for peace talks

Sudan’s Army Chief, Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan says he is now open for peace talks that could bring the war...

Tech7 hours ago

African Development Bank partners Google to transform Africa’s digital space

The African Development Bank (ADB) has teamed up with Google with the aim of advancing digital transformation in Africa. The...

Culture7 hours ago

US rappers, Meek Mill, Lil Durk pay tribute to late Nigerian Afropop star, MohBad

American rappers, Meek Mill and Lil Durk have joined the hordes of celebrities worldwide who have paid tributes to late...

Strictly Personal7 hours ago

As African leaders give excuses, peers reach for the skies, By Tee Ngugi

Many Africans might have missed an event that should have been at the centre of the news. On August 23,...

VenturesNow11 hours ago

New $700 million loan approved by World Bank for Nigeria

Amid its recent economic challenges, Nigeria has received approval from multilateral lender, World Bank for a fresh $700m loan to...

Metro12 hours ago

Nigeria’s Presidency apologises for UNGA goof

The Nigerian Presidency has apologised over a blunder it made when announcing that President Bola Tinubu was the first African...

Politics1 day ago

Kenya’s Ruto wants global support for Haiti

Kenya’s President William Ruto wants the United Nations Security Council to officially support the mission to the poorest country in...

Politics1 day ago

Sudan: One country, two UNGA addresses, as armed factions stake claim

The ongoing civil war in Sudan played out on the global scene at the United Nations General Assembly as heads...

Politics1 day ago

Congo DR to relocate its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Friday revealed that the Democratic Republic of Congo would move its Israeli embassy to...

Trending